You had me at “Hello”
Telephone skills in the Internet age
By Oliver Post
In a world obsessed with the Internet—where online ordering might seem to threaten the very need for electrical distributors to have an Order Desk—the 130-year-old telephone remains a strong, vital connection to customers.
In
fact, one could argue that—with so much standard ordering possible
without ever having to speak to anyone—each call to an Order Desk is
more critical than ever before; a customer is calling because he needs
you to do more than simply take an order.
It’s
true that not every wholesaler and distributor customer is online, but
enough of them are, so it can be a tough transition to go from handling
rapid-fire order-taking to engaging in some real fact-finding so you
can work with the customer to solve his supply needs. It requires a bit
of a change in mindset, but one that is as much about getting back to
basics as a new-age approach.
When an
inside salesperson is expected to generate a multitude of invoices each
and every hour of the day, it is easy to understand how he can fall
into some bad habits; ones that can cost sales, to be sure, but that
can also translate into higher costs down the road from poor customer
service.
One of
the key reasons that even experienced inside salespeople can provide
less-than-complete customer service stems from the type of training
they’ve received. Those who have had formal training in the duties and
functions required of them are in the distinct minority. While most
attend training sessions each year, the nature of this training—often
focusing on a specific product line of one manufacturer—can leave them
wanting when it comes to basic skill sets, such as telephone skills.
A truly
effective inside salesperson needs an understanding of much more in
terms of basic sales and communications skills, including effectiveness
in locating the right supplies.
Think of
product knowledge as the power supply and communication skills as the
conduit. Now, think about the most experienced inside salesperson you
know (let’s call him ‘The Expert’); he probably knows as much about the
products, specifications and jobsite realities as any contractor. But
what makes him a great asset to both your company and the contractor is
how he is able to provide the right amount of input for any given
situation, with the right mix of friendliness and professionalism.
It is
also quite likely that The Expert has a loyal group of clients who ask
for him by name, probably overloading him with calls from time to time.
Watch how he handles the On-Hold situation: When a customer calls, does
he say, “Hold please’, then hit the dreaded orange Hold button, or does
he say, “ABC Supply, Bob speaking, can I put you on Hold?”
The
benefit of the former is that The Expert can get back to the original
customer, but the problem is that the next caller has been summarily
shuffled down the order. The Expert doesn’t know whether that caller
has an extended order to place, a simple order to review or an inquiry
regarding a delivery. The caller could be the most irate contractor in
the history of electrical or, who knows, maybe even The Expert’s own
mother, calling to wish him Happy Birthday.
So here’s how a phone call should go (along with the amounts of time things should take):
THE EXPERT: Hello, thanks for calling ABC Electrical, Bob speaking. How can I help you?” (5 seconds)
CALLER B: Hi Bob. It’s Sam at Aardvark. I have a question about this order you sent. (5 seconds)
THE
EXPERT: Sure, Sam. I wonder if I could put on Hold for a second. I have
a customer on the other line. Or can I call you back?” (5 seconds)
So far,
The Expert has invested just 15 seconds in the call but, all the while,
Customer A—who was put on Hold to take this call—has been waiting. To
him, 15 seconds can seem like a minute; 30 seconds like a lifetime.
That’s why The Expert asks whether he can put Caller B, Sam, on Hold or
call him back. Or, he could ask Sam whether someone else could help him
out.
The key
is that is has to be a mutual decision: Sam may not mind waiting for
The Expert. He could be sitting at his kitchen table doing nothing else
and, because he values The Expert’s counsel, he’ll wait until The
Expert is available. (On the other hand, Sam may be in the middle of a
crisis requiring immediate attention.)
Like The
Expert, you have to use your judgement. In a case like this, you may
have to go back to Caller A and tell him you’ve got a crisis on your
hands and that you’ll call him back (though it had better be a pretty
big crisis, and Caller A very understanding, before you would do that).
It can be a juggling act at times, and that’s just answering the phone!
Once you’re into the call, it’s critical that you maintain the same methodical approach. Back to The Expert and Sam.
CALLER
B: Bob, I’m not sure if I understand what’s happened to this order. I
ordered some junction boxes, six spools of #16, three of #18 and 10 of
#14 wire, and my usual wire connectors, but you’ve sent me a case of
different connectors instead, which I think are more expensive. I don’t
want to pay for them just because the ones I ordered are out of stock.
I’m on a budget here you know.
THE
EXPERT: Okay, Sam, let me look it up. Oh, I see... you ordered your
usual connectors, but with the wire you ordered, it sounded like you
would need the ones we sent for the wire combinations you’re using. We
do have your usual in stock, and they would do if you’re only using one
#14, but if you’re twisting two or more together with any of the other
wire you ordered, you’ll need to use the ones we sent anyway.
This is
a simplistic example, and it would have been better to communicate the
change before the order was received, but the point is that the call
involved strong product knowledge and a clear explanation. (By the way,
it would take about 20 seconds to check the order and communicate the
reason for the change. I timed it.) Ultimately, this is the goal of
proper telephone communication: to understand what the customer wants
and what will help him do his job the best way possible so that you can
deliver it.
And it all starts with “Hello”.
Oliver Post can be reached at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
